Replacing Thermostat housing`

[buckroo]

I am trying to replace the thermostat housing and thermostat and am running into problem after problem. Here are some of the things I had to do:
1. Had to remove the radiator fans to remove the alternator
2. Had to remove the alternator
3. Had to remove the plastic pan from the bottom of the radiator
4. Had to remove the metal plate supporting the radiator
5. Could not get to the clamps off the hose to the thermostat housing because when they put the car together all this was out of the car and they didn,t have to worry about the oil stick tube and several other things in the way plus the clamp ears was behind the housing...ugh.
6. Had to remove the water reservoir and hose to it to get to a bolt that was holding the lower pipe to the thermostat housing so I could get the hose back on the housing....had my wife to wiggle the line from the top and me under the car pressing the hose onto the housing...what a mess.

I wound up having to cut the smaller hose to the thermostat housing. Don't know how in the world I will get it back on (see above).
The oil stick tube, which is in the way, is bolted under the power steering reservoir and can't get to it.
Had a leak somewhere around the thermostat housing but after removing it I saw no problem with it. Will replace it with a new one and gasket and thermostat anyway.
It only leaked when the car has cooled down....not when it was hot. Took it to a shop and they had it over night and pressured the system when cold and said it was leaking around one of the bolts to the housing.
This is not my car but my daughters. I don't think I would buy a Chrysler product because the design is not made for a do-it-yourselfer.
If anyone has any constructive information that I may use I would appreciate it very much.
Thanks

[Chrysler-Tech]

If it's a 2.7L, thats where the water pump weep hole is........

[buckroo]

Originally Posted by Chrysler-Tech

If it's a 2.7L, thats where the water pump weep hole is........

It doesn't appear that any water is exiting from the drain hole.

[buckroo]

Well I hope that I have repaired the water leak mentioned above. I pulled the thermostat housing off, along with numerious other things to reach it...ugh, and found it was not the cracked plastic thermostat housing...but a gasket. It looked like the gasket was compressed as far down as it would go and with the expansion and contraction of the parts the gasket would not return to the sealing position. That would sound logical since it only leaked when the engine got cold.